Company to build state-of-the-art chicken operation in eastern Kansas

The company will construct a processing plant, hatchery and feed mill near the city of Tonganoxie, in Leavenworth County, which will employ approximately 1,600 people and contract with northeast Kansas farmers and ranchers to raise chickens. The operation, currently scheduled to begin production in mid-2019, will produce pre-packaged trays of fresh chicken for retail grocery stores nationwide.

“More people want fresh food and as one of the world’s leading protein companies, we’re well-positioned to provide it,” said Tom Hayes, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. “We believe this new operation, which will incorporate the latest production technology, will enable us to meet the sustained growth in consumer demand for fresh chicken.”

The poultry plant will be capable of processing 1.25 mill. birds per week, increasing Tyson Foods’ overall production capacity. The payroll and payments to farmers from the new operation, along with its purchase of grain and utilities, is expected to generate an annual economic benefit to the state of Kansas of $150 mill.

Tyson Foods currently operates facilities in six Kansas communities, employing about 5,700 in the state with an annual payroll of more than $210 mill. In its 2016 fiscal year, Tyson Foods paid Kansas cattle suppliers more than $2 bn. and hog suppliers more than $1.3 mill. The company estimates its total statewide annual impact for fiscal 2016, including grain purchases, utilities, property taxes and charitable contributions to be more than $2.4 bn.